Detailed Biography by his nephew, Mark Rennie Forsythe.
The crosses were sent automatically to mothers and wives who qualified, and could be worn by the recipients anytime, even though they were not themselves veterans. The cross was engraved with the name, rank and service number of the son or husband.” Veterans Affairs Canada
Summary of Service for Private Albert Ernest Rennie, reg. no. 643944
| Date | Event | Remarks |
| March 3, 1896 | Born | Born at Washago, Ontario to Mr. and Mrs. George and Bella Rennie. He was one of six brothers. |
| February 9 1916 | Enlisted | Initially enlisted with the 157th Overseas Battalion and subsequently transferred to the 76th Battalion. Private Rennie had previous experience in the militia, having served with the 35th Regiment (Grey and Simcoe Foresters). He enlisted at the age of 19 years, 9 months and stood 5’9” tall. He enlisted in Orillia. |
| December 14, 1915 to April 1, 1916. | Served with the 157th Battalion | |
| January 1916 | Tonsils Removed | Per medical history summary taken at Moore Barracks Hospital upon is admission on June 7, 1916. |
| April 1, 1916 | Transferred 76th Battalion. | He was a member of “B” Company, according to his admitting slip to Moore Barracks Hospital. |
| April 17, 1916 | Inoculated | Vaccinations |
| [April] 11, 15, 27, 1916 | Inoculated | Anti-Typhoid |
| April 23, 1916 | Embarked for England | Sailed for England aboard the S.S. Empress Britain. |
| May 1, 1916 | Assigns Pay | Assigns $15.00 per month to his Mother, Mrs. Bella Rennie. |
| May 5, 1916 | Arrives Liverpool | |
| June 7, 1916 | Moore Barracks Canadian Hospital | Admitted for bronchitis. Admitting notes:
[Condition]: Severe cold, and inability to speak upon admission. Prev. Illness: Never had any severe illness except tonsillitis. Tonsils removed in Jany. 1916. Fam. Hist: Parents l + w. 5 brothers all well; no sisters. |
| June 22, 1916 | Discharged from Moore Barracks Canadian Hospital. | |
| July 5, 1916 | Transferred to 18th Battalion | |
| July 6, 1916 | Arrives Canadian Base Depot | Etaples, France |
| July 30, 1916 | Proceeds to Join Unit | |
| August 1, 1916 | Arrives at 18th Battalion | The Battalion is in the rear at Alberta Camp. Private Rennie arrives as part of a reinforcement draft of 20 men on that date. Of interest is that he would be issued a Ross Rifle and it was on August 30, 1916 that the Battalion was issued with the Lee-Enfield SMLE. |
| February 4, 1917 | 5th Canadian Field Ambulance | Attended to at 5th C.F.A. for chilblains. The Battalion stationed at Auchel, France at rest billets. |
| February 9, 1917 | Returned to Duty | Private Rennie returns to the Battalion, still at Auchel and in the process of rest, refit, and training. |
| August 5, 1917 | Killed in Action | Private Rennie may have been on of the 350 men assigned to carry the equipment for the trench mortar batteries. The War Dairy records that 1 man was killed that night and 3 other ranks were wounded. |
| July 31, 1920 | Headstone Erected | Fosse No 10 Communal Cemetery at Sains-en-Gohelle, France. Plot II. D. 17. |
| April 2013 | Fosse No 10 Communal Cemetery at Sains-en-Gohelle, France. | Private Rennie’s nephew, Mark Forsythe and his wife Catherine, attend Private Rennie’s grave and place The Colours of Canada in remembrance to his sacrifice. |
War Diary of the 18th Battalion CEF 
I see the link to my story about Albert Rennie is now going to a CBC Radio site that no longer contains the story. This link should work better: https://tinyurl.com/yakwe6va – Mark Forsythe
Mark,
Thanks of the updated link. I have updated that link in Albert’s page.
Eric